Spring construction and method of



' Oct. 23, 1934. v o. HETHERINGTON 19,347

SPRING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD MAKING SAME Original Filed May 13. 1930 2Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 23, 1934. v o, HETHERINGTON Re. 19,347

SPRING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Original Filed May 13.1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a, Inflento r 2 a q ow-may- Reissuecl Oct. 23,1934 SPRING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME V OliverHetherington, West'Chester, Pa., assigno r,

to Peerless Springs,

Incorporated, 'West Chester, Pa., a corporation'of Pennsylvania OriginalNo. 1,888,666, dated November 22, 1932,

Serial No. 451,893, May 13, 1930.

Application for reissue February 17, 1934, SerialNo. 7 11 ,785

11 Claims.

This invention generally stated, relates to a spring mat or cushioninsert for upholstered articles as mattresses, motor car seats,furniture and the like, and has more particular relation to the manner'of assembling the coiled springs therein. I

One object of the present invention is to connect the coiled springsboth longitudinally and transversely considered so that tangling of thecoils is prevented, thereby to maintain the same in their originalposition in the unit without destroying, however, a -maximum degree offlexibility in folding or rolling of the unit.

Another object is to provide a spring .mat or cushion of the characterstated, wherein the coils are maintained sufliciently'secure againstslippage with respect to one another to prevent rattling or similarnoises without, however, destroying the greatest possible degree offlexibility.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spring mat orcushion of the character stated in which a row of coiled springs may betied together one with another longitudinally considered at theiroverlapped tops and bottoms and in which adjacent coils laterallyconsidered may have their overlapped tops and bottoms tied or clampedtogether to provide a spring tension connection which, while positivelyholding the coils together against slippage, permits of a relativehinge-like action.

Other and further objects of the present invention reside in theprovision of general details of construction and in the arrangement,combination, and connection of parts for attaining the results sought bythe foregoing objects.

The invention consists of novel construction hereinafter described andfinally claimed. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional planview of a spring mat or cushion embodying the invention and taken uponthe line 11 of Fig. 2' looking in the direction 01. the arrows.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a spring mat or cushionembodying the invention and taken upon the line 2-2 of Fig; 1, lookingin the direction of thejarrows. v I v Fig. 3 is a .fragmentary'view inplan,.drawn to an enlarged scale of one of the coil fastenings shownin.Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a'view in elevationof Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates in elevation one of the tie pieces shown in theforegoing figures priorto being bent to form. 1

Fig. 6 is a top orplan view of a slightly. modified.

form of coil arrangement going to make up a mat or cushion embodyinggtheinvention. I Y Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view, in plan drawn to anenlarged scale illustrating amodified form of tiepiece.

Fig. 8 is aview in elevationof Fig. 7.,

Fig. 9 is a; view in elevation of the tie piece shown in Figs. 7 and 8prior to being bentto form.

Fig.,10 is a fragmentaryview in plan drawnto anenlarged scale of a stillfurther modified form of tie'piece. f

Fig. 11 is a view inelevation of Fig. .10.

Fig..12 is a view in elevation o thetie piece shown in Fig s.-10 and 11priorto being-bent to form. y

Fig. 13 is atop or plan view of a pair of coils clamped together bymeansof a clip, and

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 13.

For the purpose. of, illustrating my invention, I have shown intheaccompanying drawings several forms thereof,.-which are atpresentpreferred by me, since the same have been found in practice to givesatisfactory and reliable results, although it is to' be understood thatthe various instrumentalitiesofwhich my invention consists can bevariously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited totheprecise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities asherein shown and described. 1

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is disclosed in Fig. 1 alongitudinally disposed row of coiled springs 10,. the top and bottomstrands of adjacent coils being tied together as at 11. This may be doneby winding the free end of a strand of wire forming the coil around anadjacent coil so that a tight, non-slipping connection is formed, yetproviding a. hinge-like joint to provide maximum flexibility. The freeend of a coilis tied to the upper convolution of an adjacent spring. 10and likewise the lower adjacent convolutions of springs are similarlytied together. The connection 11 just referred .to may be described asbeing a crimped knot, and the spring convolutions both upper and lowerare in different planes than are the knots themselves. There is provideda constructiondevoidof continuous connecting or spacing members, eitherrigid or :flexible, but rather a construction depending on a unique formof wire-tie passed preferably diagonally through the overlapped portionsof the topand bottom convolutions of thecoil springs and withthe freeends wound around said top and bottom convolutions outside theoverlappedportions to secure spacing and connection both laterally andtransversely, or laterally or transversely only, in both of which casesspacing and connection in the remaining direction is. attained byknotting with a-crimped knot the top and bottom spring-Tends to the topand bottom convolutions of an adjacent springl As shown in said figure,there are two such rows,

cent rows of coiled springs are tied'together transversely so that thetop and bottom coils of Fig. 5, the reference numeral 12 designates astrand of wire which I wrap arou'rid'the over lapped upper and lowercoilsof'the springs 10 in spaced relation to form ring-like parts 13.That portion of the wire 12 between the ring-like.

parts 13 is passed upwardly through the space formed between theoverlapped-springs 10 by bending the wire 12 first'upwardly as at 14 andthen downwardly as at 15, see Fig. 4. This forms a tight clamping ofparts yetforms a hinge-like connection to permit of maximum flexibilityof the mat-or cushion. The reference "numeral 16 designates a cover forthe springs 10.- i In Fig. 6 the construction of partsis the same asthat just described with the exception-that instead of tying togetherthe springs 10 in rows as at 11 of the same material forming thesprings, I employ a separate piece of wire asshown in Fig. 5and bend thesame in'identic'ally the same manner to form a tie connectionas employedin thetfansver'se connection of springs'and the same reference numeraldesignates the same arrangement of parts in each instance.-Thu'sj'instead of having connected rows of coils 10,"con'- nected groupsof individual coils are provided.

Referring now to Figso'l, 8 and'9, instead of employing the tie wire 12as shown-in Fig. 5, I take a substantially U-shaped clip as shown inFig.9 and pass-the arms 1'? thereof through the openings formed betweenthe overlapped portions of the springs, both'at their tops and bot toms,and then bend'the terminals 18 of said arms 17 in parallelism, as shownby dotted lines in Fig. 9 so that the overlapped portions'of the springs10 are securely clamped together as showninFigs'land8. Referring now toFigs. 10, 11 and 12,-Ier'nploy a substantially inverted U-shaped 'clipinstead of the clip just described. The arms 19 of this clip haveextensions 20 extended towardone another and bent U-shaped fashion as'at'21, s'ee Fig. 12. In practice the overlapped portions of'the springs10 both at their tops and bottoms have projected therebetween a clip ofthis character andthe terminals of said arms 19 bent toward one another,at an inclination as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 12 adjacent theU-shaped projection 21 to securely clamp said springs 10 together.

Referring now to Figs. 13 and 14, the springs 10 are clamped together bymeans of a fiat metal strip 22,'the terminals 23 of which are bentaround the springs 10 both at their tops and bottoms. It will beunderstood that these strips 22, as well as thedevicesshown in Figs. 9'and 12, may be applied to the springs 10 in the manner of tying thesprings together as shown in either Figs.

1 or 6. In general, we: themethods'ol indeependent tying depicted may beused in' 'tyirig the upper and lower'concentriccoils at'the'overlappedposition but in particular, claim isfm'ade for the method of passing awire preferablydiagonally through the overlapped portion which is notdistorted and winding it around both adjacent coils outside of theoverlapped section in such amanner as to produce a hinge-joint giving aneasy and free hinge action, and atthe same time tightly enough toproduce sufficient tension "whereby the adjacent coils of the spring mator although the number of rows depends upon the size of spring mat orcushion to be made. Adja-' cushion tend to return to a positionsubstantially 'in the same plane after being forced from it by pressureor fiexure or otherwise moving the spring structure.

I claim as my invention:

1. A self supporting spring cushion or mat consisting of spiralspringsthe upper and lower adjacent coils of which overlap, a wire arrangeddiagonally through said overlapped portions the respective ends of saiddiagonal wire being wound around said adjacent coils to provide ahingejoint. :3

2. A self supporting spring cushion or mat comprising a group of atleast four double conical springs, adjacent pairs of springs in onedirection being arranged with overlapping upper and lower convolutions,said overlapped portions having a wir'e passed diagonally therethroughand with the respective ends of each diagonal wire wound around adjacentc'onvolutions outside of said overlapped portions to provide ahinge-joint, and adjacent. pairs of springs in the opposite directionbeing 'tiedtogethen to also provide a hingejolnt. V 4

3. A hinge joint connecting a pair of conventional upholstery, springshaving the normal spiral curvature. of their end-coils preservedcomprising a part disposedto maintain the-endcoils of said springs inpartially overlappedrelation to each" other, anda portion at each sideof said part completely encircling and closely embracing the portions ofthe said end coils at points of their contact with each other andpivotally connecting the same with each otherat said points, saidportions cooperating with said part for preventing all'relativelateralmovement of said springs.

4. The combination with a pair of conventional upholstery springs havingundistorted end-coils arranged with the end coil of each thereofoverlapping the other, of a hinge member having its end portions coiledabout and closely embracing said end coils at their points ofv contactwith each other for pivotally connecting the same, the middle portion ofsaid hinge member projecting between theoverlapped portions of saidendcoils forimaintaining the same in overlapped position and formaintaining said coiled end portions in fixed relative positions.

5. The combination with a pair of conventional upholstery springs havingnormally spiral end coils and arranged with an end coil of each there-'of overlapping the other, of a wire hinge member having its respectiveend portions coiled about and firmly embracing said end coils at theirpoints of contact with eachother.

6. The combination with a pair of conventional upholstery springs havingend coils of normal spiral contour and a portion of an end coil of eachof said respective springs thereof overlapped upon each other andpresenting an open space bordered by saidovelflapped portions, of ahinge member having end portions coiled'about and completely encirclingand closely embracing said overlapped portions at the respective ends ofsaid open space and presenting an intermediate portion projecting intosaid open space.

7. A spring connecting hinge-joining the overlapped end coils of a pairof conventional upholstery springs which comprises a wire member havinga middle portion disposed between the overlapped portions of the springsfor maintaining the latter in overlapped relation, and having endportions coiled about and formed into hinge members completelyencircling and closely embracing the contacting portions of said endcoils.

8. A spring assembly including a pair of conventional upholstery springshaving undistorted end coils disposed to overlap each other topresent anopening bordered by arcuate portions of said end coils, an initiallystraight piece of wire having its middle portion disposed in saidopening and its end portions coiled to completely encircle and firmlyembrace the said overlapped portions of said springs at the respectiveends of said opening, said middle portion maintaining said overlap andpreventing said coiled end portions from moving toward or away from eachother.

9. A spring assembly comprising a plurality of rows of conventionalupholstery springs each having the extremity of a terminal convolutionthereof coiled about the terminal convolution of an adjacent spring, thenormal spiral contour of said terminal convolutions being preserved,said rows of springs being disposed parallel with each other and withthe terminal convolutions of the springs of one row partiallyoverlapping the terminal convolutions of the springs of an adjacent row,a hinge member completely encircling and closely embracing each point ofcontact between overlapped springs for pivotally connecting the same atspaced apart points, and means for maintaining said hinge members infixed spaced relation to each other thereby to prevent lateral movementof the springs relatively to each other, said hinge members cooperatingwith the first mentioned connections to prevent permanent distortion ofthe completed assembly.

10. A spring assembly comprising a plurality of upholstery springsarranged in pairs disposed with an end coil of one spring of each pairoverlapping an end coil of the other, said overlapped portions definingan opening at the ends of which said end coils are in contact with eachother, and

hinge members each including portions completely encircling and tightlyembracing the overlapped end coils at their said points of contact and aspacing bar interposed between and connected with said encirclingportions for maintaining the latter in fixed spaced relation to eachother.

11. In a structure of the character described, a pair of springs havingadjacent coils engaged at spaced points, means for hingedly tieing saidcoils together at said engaged points, including a plurality of closelyengaging coiled wrappings encircling and tightly embracing the coils atsaid points, and a spacing member holding said wrappings at said spacedpoints and in correspondingly spaced relationship.

OLIVER HE'I'HERINGTON.

